By Jen Olaco & Cynthia Olea

On May 9 and 10, the Granada Hills Charter dance program hosted its highly anticipated dance showcase, “A Night at the Museum.” The event, held in the Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), captivated audiences with a diverse array of choreographed pieces that highlighted the essence of famous artworks.

The dance show provided an opportunity for all of GHC’s dance groups to showcase different cultural backgrounds through their creativity and talent. The show included performances by the Intro to Dance, Intermediate Dance, and Advanced Dance classes. The varsity dance team and student dance team Rev Steps also performed.

Each group was assigned a famous piece of artwork such as “Dancer with Bouquet” by Edgar Degas and “Rock Wings” by Colette Miller to cultivate a unique interpretation of the painting through their dance.

“The Marilyn Monroe painting that my group represented through our choreography is known worldwide and didn’t feel so foreign to me,” senior Destiny Perez said. “Our group created a connection with the painting and an ever deeper one with each other.”

This dance was performed by the Intermediate/Advanced dance class. It was a hip-hop style dance that took inspiration from 90s style dance.

The many performances stood out not just for their visual appeal but for how they captured both the boldness in each art piece and genre of dance presented. There were many dances inspired by hip-hop that were joined by more classic dance genres such as ballet and cultural dances like the hula and traditional fan dancing.

The audience at the dance showcase responded with overwhelming enthusiasm. Families and friends alike supported their dancers. The theater was filled with excitement especially when the dancers came down and danced amongst the crowd on the stairs.

It was an especially emotional night as senior dancers performed their very last show. The music choice for the senior dance added to the emotion. “Ribs” by Lorde represented well the nostalgia and lingering feelings of leaving their high school years behind. After the senior dance, Fukagawa presented each girl with a rose to commemorate their time in the dance program. Many senior dancers experienced tears during the rose presentation and especially backstage knowing that they were witnessing their last show and a meaningful farewell to wrap up their senior year.

“Being on a final stage with the girls I’ve grown close to these past few years felt like a beautiful closing to a chapter of my life,” senior Ximenna Avila-Martinez said. “This is an emotional time for me not only because it’s our last performance, but because I will be leaving my little sister behind with whom I danced upstage with.”

The 2025 dance showcase was a memorable and heartfelt performance honoring iconic artworks and the art of dance.